I'm pretty good with tooling Rick , I've got backups for my most used bits too , but in all honesty bits or at least the solid carbide I've been using last a good long time ,most of my bits are either Southeast Tools or Whiteside . I've only shelved 2 bits , well 3 (broke a .125 ball nose) for being dull , and I've cut quite a lot with them

That's a good question Rick , I am sure I'll make something , just don't know yet what it'll be . I just can't pass up bargains when it comes to wood . As for hoarding lumber , not me , I'm not a wood hoarder , really , I'm not , nope , no way , really

I have a confession. I got rid of almost all my scrap lumber a week or so ago. (nothing exotic, mostly pine and some oak). I had boards in the rafters of the garage that hadn't been touched in 19 years. so we just had a new concrete driveway and garage floor installed so I did a major clean out. even went into the basement shop and cleaned out the scraps. going to try and focus on the few uncompleted projects before anything new.

I have a confession. I got rid of almost all my scrap lumber a week or so ago. (nothing exotic, mostly pine and some oak). I had boards in the rafters of the garage that hadn't been touched in 19 years. so we just had a new concrete driveway and garage floor installed so I did a major clean out. even went into the basement shop and cleaned out the scraps. going to try and focus on the few uncompleted projects before anything new.

Yep , its that time of year again , starting to notice the days gettin longer , the weather is perkin up , that's it , gotta go get some wood !
I was in need of some ebony so I've been looking around online , ebay , all the usual places , prices are pretty much all the same for nice stuff so it usually comes down to shipping and availability . One place caught my eye not because of shipping rates or prices but because of area code on their phone number , it was a local area code , and after looking further they were only 35 minutes away from me . Called em up , they said sure come on down , got more than I needed(nice to hand pick) , spent more than I wanted , but man , they had a 15' x 20' room lined with shelves stacked with wood from all over the world , I was like a termite in hog heaven ! I ended up with a 3" x 3" x 18" hunk of Gabon Ebony , a 2" x 2" x 6" piece of Gabon ebony , a 2" x 2" x 6" piece of Pink Ivory and a 1" x 2.5" x 12.5" piece of American Holly . This will all be used for pup rings , knobs , inlay , accent pieces , etc . Should have enough to last me a good while

Are any of your grandkids showing an interest in woodworking? I guess they may be a bit young, yet.

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This is kind of why I've hoarded some lumber. I want my son to be able to be able to build from this stash and then who knows maybe down the line his son or daughter there after. Kind of that unspoken family heirloom. Lofty dreams I suppose.

At the rate I'm going it will probably be a stack of incompletes though.

This is kind of why I've hoarded some lumber. I want my son to be able to be able to build from this stash and then who knows maybe down the line his son or daughter there after. Kind of that unspoken family heirloom. Lofty dreams I suppose.

At the rate I'm going it will probably be a stack of incompletes though.

Go Herb go!

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Chris , its almost to the point with Ebony , Pink Ivory and even clear American Holly that it could be called investment grade wood , if only I had a crystal ball 20 years ago . I actually would have liked to get a larger piece of Pink Ivory but this was the largest they had and I spent enough $ already and the size I got will work for my needs . I can only hoard wood for so long then its gotta get used

Andre , I probably drooled all over the floor in their wood room , never seen so much ebony in one place , not to mention Genuine Lignum Vitae , African Blackwood , Pink Ivory , Black Palm , Curly Babinga , Black & White Ebony , etc , etc . Next time I go I'll need to bring a bib !